FAQ

Answers From Our Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

When you purchase a faulty vehicle or consumer good and the manufacturer fails to live up to the terms of its warranty, we know that the stress and time involved can greatly affect your life. Let the Orange County lemon lawyer at Barnes Law Firm help you get back on the road.

  • Lemon Law Frequently Asked Questions

    • What Are the 3 General Qualifications for a Lemon?

      The three general qualifications are:

      • The car must have a substantial impairment in use, value, or safety
      • The problems with the car must have been, covered by a warranty
      • The owner must have attempted to get the vehicle repaired multiple times or the car must be in the shop an unreasonable amount of days

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    • Does the Lemon Law Apply to Business Use Vehicles?

      Yes. Vehicles used for business are covered by the California Lemon Law. The business can have no more than five vehicles registered in its name; and (2) the gross vehicle weight must not exceed 10,000 pounds. For the purposes of the Lemon Law, Gross Vehicle Weight means the weight of the vehicle as it is actually used NOT the total weight the vehicle can carry. Not sure if your business vehicle qualifies under the lemon law, call our experienced Orange County lemon law attorney and find out.

    • Can I Still Pursue a Claim if I No Longer Have the Vehicle?

      Yes, a consumer may still pursue a lemon law claim in California even if they do not still own the vehicle. The consumer must simply have given the manufacturer or its authorized repair facility a reasonable number of repair attempts during the warranty period.

    • What Types of Problems Does the Lemon Law Cover?

      California’s lemon law applies to problems that substantially impair the use, value, or safety of the product. “Substantial impairment” must be evaluated based on the needs and circumstances of the particular consumer, within reason.

    • Does California Law Only Apply to Cars and Trucks?

      The lemon law applies to all consumer goods that are covered by a warranty. This includes products purchased or used for personal purposes or those used in your household by your family including: motorcycles, recreational vehicles (RVs), trailers and fifth wheels jet skis, boats, musical instruments, appliances, televisions, electronics, and all other consumer goods.

    • Does the Lemon Law in California Apply to Older Vehicles or Those With More Than 18,000 Miles?

      As long as your car has an issue that occurs under the warranty period and has undergone a reasonable number of repairs to try and correct the problem, California law may apply. Even if the vehicle’s warranty is now expired, as long as the car was having problems before and you brought it to the attention of an authorized dealer in that time, you may still be covered under California’s lemon law.

    • Do I Need to Notify the Manufacturer and Give It a Chance to Repair a Problem Prior to Pursuing a Lemon Law Claim in a Californi

      You do not have to contact the manufacturer of your vehicle. If an authorized repair facility has had enough opportunities to repair a substantial warranty problem, the manufacturer does not have to be given a chance to repair the problem directly to have a valid California lemon law claim.

    • How Many Repair Attempts Do I Have to Allow?

      There is no set number of repair attempts required. All that is required is a reasonable number of attempts. This may vary depending on the nature of the problem. However, most manufacturers will look at four (4) as the magic number they want to see. If you are not sure if you have given the manufacturer enough repair attempts call Orange County lemon law attorney Stephen Barnes for your free consultation

    • Am I Required to Go Through Arbitration Before Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer?

      No. You are not required to go through arbitration before hiring a lemon law attorney. In most situations, you would not be required to go through arbitration, and you should get the advice of an experienced lemon law lawyer before taking such a step.

    • Does the California Lemon Law Apply if I’ve Purchased a Faulty Used Vehicle?

      The short answer is yes if you purchased the car with a warranty. The lemon law covers a used car if you bought it with a warranty, have a substantial problem covered by that warranty, and have given the warrantor a reasonable opportunity to repair the car. If you have bought a faulty used car, it is important that you speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney to get you the results you deserve.

    • What Does It Cost to Hire a Lemon Law Attorney?

      In most cases, it costs nothing to hire Barnes Law firm to handle your lemon law case. We will collect our attorney fees from the manufacturer if your claim is successful.